Counting the Stars
by Chocolate Cosmos
Summary: LithuaniaxLatvia When Latvia sees his best friend shoulder everyone's pain, he only wants to comfort him. Through this, he learns of his true feelings for the older country. Only human names used. Not historically accurate.


**A/N: **It's been a while since I've uploaded...I'm sorry!I WILL get back to S & G. I've been writing and rewriting Chapter Thirteen, not sure what I like. But I think that once I get a few stories out of my system that won't leave me alone I can get back to it again. Anyway, enjoy this APH fanfic. It will probably only last a few chapters but be sure to let me know what you think of it. There aren't a lot of LithuaniaxLatvia fics out there. I'm more of a PolandxLithuania person myself, but these two are cute!^ ^ Enjoy!

All characters mention in this fanfiction belong to their respective owners.

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><p><em>Raivis<em>

Raivis' eyes fluttered open to peer through the thick darkness of his room at night. At the opposite wall sat Toris' vacant bed. He turned onto his stomach and reached across his nightstand in order to grab his clock. He had to bring it close to see the time, 1:37 AM. What was Toris doing up at a time like this? Raivis might wonder, but he knew far too well that Toris was an insomniac. Toris always had too many things on his mind, too much to worry about, and too many haunting memories to get any proper rest during the night. The effect of this was a pair of perpetual smoky bags underneath Toris' emerald eyes. The pair of bags was one of two things the older country wished he could better hide. Bags and bruises. Toris, who had weathered so much, did not like to show it in the least. One would think that with all he was put through, he would have no dignity left but Toris did. He always composed himself and stood tall when he needed to. He was a person that was shattered so many times but would never fail to put the pieces back together. He had gotten so good at it that he could do it for others. Toris was the one to take care of everybody. He would take care of another with the last of his strength, it was only natural for him. That is why Raivis treasured him so much. There was so much to admire about Toris, even at his very worst.

There were three of them in that house. Toris, Raivis, and Ivan. There had been a forth. His name was Eduard but he left a few years ago. He had gotten really bitter and depressed. He just walked out one day. No one said a word. It was hard losing a friend but Toris and Raivis hoped he had found a better place to live, a place of his own. Maybe he could get a job, find a companion. Maybe he would remember Toris and Raivis in those times.

Raivis and Toris were very close. Raivis would often find himself spilling secrets to Toris, crying in his arms or falling asleep with him on the couch. Toris was someone he could trust with his own life. He could always confide in him. If he had a problem, Toris would have the solution. However, Toris was not one to complain or vent. Toris carried all of his problems on his own shoulders with a smile on his face. He never let Raivis see his weaknesses or catch him in a bad mood. Toris would kill himself before letting any harm befall Raivis. He shouldered Raivis' worries as well as his own. He did it all.

Toris was Ivan's favorite. Raivis heard someone on the street say that before. Maybe if they were a family, this truth would have hurt Raivis' feelings, maybe even make him burn with a bit of jealousy. But when Raivis had heard that years ago, when it was all four of them in the house, it made him worry for Toris. Dealing with Ivan was an impossible task. It only made sense that Toris would have to be the one to take it on. When Ivan was sick, when Ivan was angry, when Ivan was happy, when Ivan was unstable, Toris always had to be there to contain Ivan. Toris tried to keep the negativity away from Raivis. For example, last night's scenario was typical. During last night's dinner, the three of them had tried to eat together. There was a quiet conversation at the table between Toris and Raivis but Ivan had kept his mouth shut the entire meal. Times like these it tool nothing to set him off. Ivan wordlessly slid his plate of food onto the floor. "Oops." He said. Toris' eyes widened a bit and Raivis thought of the time Toris put into the meal all afternoon.

"I'm sorry. Did it taste alright?" Toris asked, after immediately apologizing.

"Delicious." Ivan replied. The troubled nation grit his teeth as Toris began cleaning up the mess. He grabbed a fistful of Toris' collar and brought him to his feet, stormy violet eyes glaring menacingly into Toris' own eyes.

Toris' eyes darted over to Raivis for an instant. "Please, Ivan, can we discuss this in the other room?" he asked. The two went into Ivan's study. Raivis ate alone that night to the muffled sound of murmuring, shouts, pleas, threats, and a bang. This morning, he discovered Toris had a black eye.

"Toris, what happened?" Raivis asked. "Are you okay?"

Toris tugged at his collar a little bit with a smile. Raivis often saw these smiles accompany injuries. It was almost apologetic, the way Toris gave them as if to say "Sorry to let you see me like this."

"Why, yes, I'm fine." Toris combed his fingers through Raivis' short wavy locks and continued on his way.

Living under Ivan's roof was enough to kill Raivis. It surely would have by now, if not for Toris, or so Raivis believed. Incidents like the one that occurred last night were routine. So were Toris' injuries. The sight of them was heavy on Raivis' heart. But this grief was every day.

Tonight, Raivis woke up during the night to find Toris' bed empty. He wondered what its occupant was up to at this hour. He pushed the heavy warm blanket off himself and stepped down onto the hardwood floor. Raivis made a great effort to keep his actions quiet, as he made his way down the hallway. A stream of light flowed onto the hallway from the kitchen. Raivis peeked around the wall to see Toris, back faced to him, at the counter, washing dishes. Raivis frowned disapprovingly and walked freely into the kitchen.

"Toris…"

The brunette jumped, dropping a glass onto the floor. It broke into thousands of pieces across the linoleum.

Raivis gasped. "I-I'm sorry!" he whispered immediately.

"It's fine, Raivis." Toris said, wrapping his arms around the younger of the two. "I'm too jumpy these days. Go on back to bed, I'll be in soon."

"B-but, Toris!" Raivis said, his stutter showing itself with his fear.

Suddenly, there was a creak. Both men looked in the direction of the faint, ominous noise, then back at one another.

"Raivis," Toris began in a hush, hurried voice. "I'd like for you to go back to bed now."

Raivis could almost feel himself shaking in the warmth of his dearest friend's arms. "I can't sleep like this. Not when—"

Slow, groggy footsteps began their trek down the hall. Toris' eyes became alert now as adrenaline kicked into his system.

"Raivis, please go back to bed now." Raivis remained frozen. "Count the stars until while you wait." Toris whispered in his ear.

Painfully, Raivis obliged and returned to his room. As he settled back in bed to the sound of angry shouts and cries of pain, he gazed out his window to the cloudy, starless sky.


End file.
